As air quality in Delhi–NCR deteriorates once again, Uttar Pradesh MLA Dr Rajeshwar Singh has written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging the swift implementation of a ‘Clean-Air Academic Continuity Policy’ to safeguard children’s health.
His appeal comes amid rising public concern over escalating pollution levels and the absence of an automatic response framework during severe smog episodes.
Citing alarming figures highlighted in a recent November 23, 2025, CNN report, Dr Singh pointed out that Delhi’s Air Quality Index has breached the 450+ mark, entering the ‘severe’ category.
Several NCR districts in Uttar Pradesh, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Baghpat and Shamli, are also recording dangerous levels between 300 and 400, far above the safe upper limit of 100.
Dr Singh stressed that scientific research consistently shows polluted air can reduce average life expectancy by a decade and severely impair lung development, immunity and cognitive growth in children.
“Children Must Not Pay for Environmental Failures”
In his letter, he argued that sending children to school in such hazardous conditions is equivalent to exposing them to a slow and silent health threat. He emphasised that the burden of environmental mismanagement should not fall on the youngest and most vulnerable.
Key Recommendations by Dr Singh
- Dr Singh proposed a set of technology-led interventions to the state government:
- Immediate shift to online classes whenever a district’s AQI crosses the ‘severe’ 300+ threshold.
- Creation of a district-level AQI monitoring dashboard capable of automatically issuing school closure or online teaching directives.
- Leveraging current digital platforms to ensure uninterrupted learning.
- Coordinated action between education, health, environment and IT departments to implement this policy before the peak winter smog period.
- Prompt instructions to district magistrates in all NCR regions to prepare operational frameworks.
Dr Singh also questioned why authorities have failed to establish a permanent policy despite the recurring annual pollution emergency. He demanded clear accountability and asserted that administrators can no longer tolerate inaction in the face of a persistent public health crisis.
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